‘Coach’ Jennings eager to learn from special-teams guru Seely

Brian Jennings has typically dedicated part of his offseason to educating himself.

In past years, the 49ers’ long snapper and longest-tenured player has attended the NFL’s Business Management and Entrepreneurial programs at Harvard and Stanford. He’s become a certified yoga instructor. And he’s taken college classes ranging from science to statistics with plans on becoming a chiropractor or earning his M.B.A. after his NFL career.

During the lockout, however, Jennings, 34, has focused on educating others. His subject matter is the art of long-snapping and Jennings, an 11-year veteran with a Pro Bowl appearance on his resume, is a leading authority.

Jennings hosted a long-snapping camp at San Jose State on Saturday for 20 high-school-aged hopefuls and has plans to develop an online long-snapping school. The six-hour camp was filmed and Jennings will use the footage as content for his online school, which will feature drills and coaching tips.

Jennings is passionate about providing an affordable way to teach others across the nation the finer points of his craft.

“Not everyone can afford, or has the time and resources or parent structure to end up at a camp,” Jennings said. “So I was wondering what was the least expensive way for guys to learn about long snapping? That was my vision this offseason. How can I do that?”

With the lockout drawing to a close, though, Jennings is ready to turn his full attention to the 49ers, who drafted him the seventh round of the 2000 draft.

Jennings has been in San Francisco long enough to count Jerry Rice as a former teammate, but he’s still eager to learn. And he’s ready to receive an education from first-year special teams coordinator Brad Seely, who, like Jennings, is regarded as one of the NFL’s best in his role.

“I love everything about special teams and he’s been coaching it at a very high level for a very long time and I want to see why,” Jennings said. “I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to sit in those meeting rooms and figure out what he’s doing that helps his teams dominate.”

This and that from Jennings …

— He’s been around plenty of dysfunction and defeats during his career, but he says the Niners of recent vintage have maintained a harmonious locker room.

“The last three years, I’ve been saying each year that this is my favorite group of guys,” he said. “It’s a tragedy that we don’t win. This is the kind of team that’s supposed to win a lot of games. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case and if you underachieve that gets your staff fired.”

Jennings should know. He’s played for four head coaches — Steve Mariucci, Dennis Erickson, Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary — in his first 11 years.

— Due to the lockout, Jennings believes many rookies across the league won’t get a chance to play this season and some veterans will exit the league early because they didn’t stay in shape in the offseason.

He also anticipates some new coaching staffs being overwhelmed by the onslaught of free agency, training camps and, suddenly, Week 1 of the regular season.

“With some teams, four or five weeks into the season, there’s going to be some mutiny stuff going on because the coaches missed,” Jennings said. “So that will be interesting to see. I can’t wait to see how we handle it — how guys respond and how the coaches respond … It’s a new test. It’s a unique test. I believe in leadership and we’re going to find out real fast. I know the group of guys that are in that locker room, and I’m excited to play for this staff.”

“Since the day Singletary got fired, I think there was a big movement in our front office to say ‘OK, we’re going to put another (Super Bowl) trophy in the case.’ And if that’s the singular vision and everyone falls in step with that, we’re going to be alright.”

— Jennings is signed through the 2014 season, when he’ll turn 38. But he doesn’t think he’s on his last contract. He mentioned playing until he’s “40 or 42.” Then he’ll get on with the rest of his life.

“I figure I’m going to live to be really old, so maybe when I’m 50, I’ll go to chiropractor school and when I’m 60 I’ll go get my M.B.A.,” he said. “Why not? When I’m 70, we’ll see what happens then.”